Category - ireland

Local churches have been backing five Irish traveller families living on an unofficial site in Wickford, Essex, who now face eviction because the land they bought is within a green zone area. They have lodged an appeal.

The rejection by Irish voters of a treaty to reform the European Union has exposed serious deficiencies in the workings of the 27-nation body, says the head of a grouping of European Protestant churches.

Levels of religious knowledge throughout Ireland are decreasing significantly, and in Northern Ireland are even lower than in the Republic according to a new poll, believed to be the first ever conducted on the subject in Northern Ireland

Amid growing concern about depression and suicide in Britain and Ireland, especially among the young, The Salvation Army has announced that it will be holding a two-day International Conference on Suicide Prevention next month.

Irish Catholic Bishops have joined worldwide human rights oranisations in calling on the President of Zimbabwe - who was educated as a Catholic - to change direction and respect the will of the people for change.

The Catholic archbishop of Dublin and the Imam of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland marked World Press Freedom Day yesterday by calling for the release of the kidnapped BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston.

The new head of the (Anglican) Church of Ireland has said that the 1701 Act of Settlement, which prevents a Catholic from marrying a monarch, should be abolished. He has also affirmed that the disestablishment of the Church of England would be a positive rather than a negative step.